CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Media Outrage Meter is tipping toward hysteria over Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who stands guilty of consistently demonstrating behavior consistent with being a college kid.

Sportswriting may look easy. It's more complicated than you think, what with all the responsibilities some of us take on: moral police, gatekeepers of "the game," lecturers and, often, amnesia sufferers.

Manziel commanded a huge gathering at SEC Media Days, a Super Bowl-like event where some of the 1,200 credentialed media came to find out whether an alcohol-fueled late night caused Manziel to oversleep and get sent home from the Manning Passing Academy.

The clucking disapproval of Manziel's indiscretions to date -- an incident outside a bar, an angry Tweet after receiving a parking ticket, and now this -- says as much about the lecturers as the lectured. Let's take a look at the outrage, on a scale of zero (who, what?) to 10 (hide the women and children, Johnny Football is going out on the town).

9-10: It's easy to see what's right from here, seated on such a high horse. Manziel is a "train wreck" in the making in one opinion.

It's not that people who hold this view don't remember what it was like to be in college. It's just in college they scheduled all 8 a.m. classes as a matter of convenience. They could go straight from 7 a.m. daily mass.

College nickname: Pastor.

7-8: Believes big-time college football players owe their schools complete dedication at every turn, seeing as how the university is giving them a "free education."

These opinion makers remember having a two-hours-a-week hash-slinging job in the college cafeteria, but over the years have embellished it into working the nightshift at the salt mine while walking home barefoot in the snow.

At Florida State.

5-7: Don't like when athletes act entitled. (Manziel comes from money and traveled to various big events on his parents' dime after winning the Heisman. Manziel also said this week, "I guess I feel like Justin Bieber or something.")

Media in this group, despite what you may think, got cut from intramural football. But some took a girl to a frat party in college where she left with the intramural starting quarterback.

3-5: Addicted to making sweeping predictions on just about everything. Believe Manziel's behavior will cost him dearly in the NFL and that someone -- them -- better warn him before it's too late.

Why this is their issue, nobody is quite sure. Actually, they don't remember all that much about being 20 years old. Except their father's admonition that they'd never amount to anything.

1-3: Think kids today should show more respect, but overall remember college as the greatest time in their lives and are willing to cut slack to a 20-year-old who said at the SEC Media Days, "I made mistakes, and I'm trying not to make the same one twice."

0-0.5: Kids will be kids, as Romeo Crennel said.

Plus, they're the only amateurs in the big business known as college football. You don't have to remember college as a four-, five- or six-year Passing Out Academy to fall into this group.

But if you do, Manziel not making it up in time at a summer camp is not a big deal.

Wake me when the train wreck happens, but try not to call too early in the morning.

SPINOFFS

View full sizeBefore you think this looks too crazy, consider those guys in Columbus with the scarlet and gray skulls.AP file

• University of Alabama fan Shannon Villa took off work, put on a $300 hat made in the shape of a national championship ring, picked up his fiancee and waited in the hotel lobby at the SEC Media Days from 7:40 to 3 p.m. in hopes Tide coach Nick Saban would autograph his lid.

The most surprising thing wasn't that Villa failed to get Saban's signature on his hat. Coaches can't sign everything.

The most surprising thing is he has a fiancee.

• Alex Rodriguez thanked the Yankees for their "full support" during his rehabilitation.

• After Marc Anthony performed at Tuesday's All-Star game, MLB received complaints from people who felt it was inappropriate for a foreign-born entertainer to sing "God Bless America."

You have to acknowledge people who have such firm convictions and aren't afraid of the blowback for expressing their opinions, especially when Anthony was born in New York.

• At one point in Friday's introduction of Andrew Bynum, Cavs' GM Chris Grant said, "The doctors at the Cleveland Clinic have done an amazing job pulling together many groups, many parts of their organization, to put Andrew in the best position to succeed."

Think of the Clinic as all the king's horses and all the king's men.

• Can we agree for now, at least until we see if Bynum can play, to stop calling him the "biggest free agent signing in franchise history." Unless we simply mean tallest.

• A reminder: When you see website and newspaper headline references to "Fun-Loving Jimenez," they mean Miguel Angel, not Ubaldo.

The Spanish-born Jimenez, the second-day leader at the British Open at age 49, is golf's answer to the Most Interesting Man in the World. After shooting a first-round 64 in 2009 at Turnberry, he was asked what he was thinking and said, "That it would be nice to have a little whiskey."

• Charl Schwartzel, upset with a bad shot out of high grass, broke his 6-iron in disgust Thursday at the British Open.

I mention this only because I like watching Tour players look like me on No. 2 at Sleepy Hollow.

• The Charlotte Bobcats will become the Hornets again in the 2014-15 season, thereby making them an instant title contender.

• Retired linebacker Brian Urlacher says of the Bears, "They better not win a championship without me because I'll be (ticked). ... I don't want them to win a Super Bowl without me."

You have to appreciate Urlacher's honesty. If not the Browns' unofficial slogan:

"Keeping alumni happy since 1964."

• The NCAA is not renewing its video game deal with EA Sports but insists the decision has nothing to do with the lawsuit filed by former UCLA star Ed O'Bannon, who objected to the organization cashing in on his likeness.

And if you believe letting the EA Sports agreement expire is pure coincidence, you believe in the order of the term "student-athlete."

• Florida International head football coach Ron Turnerhas apologized after some of his players ended a workout/barbecue on the beach by showering and changing clothes in view of other beach-goers.

"We are committed to helping our student athletes grow as gentlemen while preparing them for their careers," Turner's statement read in part.

Who can be rightly expected to grasp public nudity laws at such a tender age?

• San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh traded with Tampa for former Browns' corner Eric Wright, who has a recent arrest and a positive test for PEDs. It's not as if Harbaugh just spoke out about PED use among the Seattle Seahawks.

Wait. He did.

• Statistician and blogger Nate Silver is leaving the New York Times for ESPN. I don't know what they're paying him but if he can provide early warnings on Chris Berman's next tortured nickname, he'll be worth it to viewers.

HE SAID IT

"This is definitely a playoff team." -- Bynum on the Cavaliers.

Except for hinging on the indefinite future of their starting center, book it.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"If (Pilot Flying J) were a Japanese company, the CEO would take responsibility and fall on his sword. Since it's an American company, the CEO professes ignorance and pays off a bunch of middle managers to fall on his sword." -- Frank Fletcher

If you didn't already recognize this as a great country (or what?), 7-11 held Free Slurpee Day last week.

"Hey, Bud:

"Websites say Johnny Manziel had to leave the Manning Passing Academy due to a night of drinking. His dad said he was just dehydrated while he claims he overslept. A night of drinking, followed by oversleeping and dehydratation? Thought that only happened to Shaw's Spin readers." -- Andrew Johnson, Hudson

Since Spin readers drink alone, who would know?

"Bud:

"Didn't you do a four-year study of dehydration at college?" -- Nikki P

Don't be ridiculous. Six.

"Bud:

"Cleveland's sports teams consistently give us disappointing and heartbreaking seasons. I see that the Cleveland Clinic is No. 1 again in the nation in cardiology care. Is this by coincidence or out of necessity?" -- Kevin, N, Ridgeville

Better hope they're just as good at knees.

"Hey Bud:

"Trent Richardson is drawing a buzz announcing he plans to participate in training camp next week. Makes me wonder how your peers react when you show up for work?" -- Russ

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